Floods hit central Europes grains

01 August 1997

Floods hit central Europes grains

THE International Grains Council (IGC) in London has published lower grains estimates for central Europe. It has conservatively revised downwards its forecasts for the current season.

The region has been hit by severe flooding. which will significantly reduce
grains production, especially in Poland, the Czech and Slovak republics and
Romania. Some 190,000 animals have been drowned in the Czech Republic and 195 farms there are under water. Losses are estimated to be about £200m.

The IGC forecasts wheat production for the region will drop 1.5m tonnes to
32.4m tonnes. Romania is showing the biggest improvement, even though it, too, has been deluged. It is projected to produce 7.1m tonnes this year, compared with 3.2m tonnes the previous year.

Poland, however, is forecast to see its wheat crop cut by 300,000 tonnes to 7.9m. It was 8.5m in 1986.